Marriage: 4 Months

I missed these last couple of months, and wish I hadn't! So much has happened, though, and I am excited to share it all at once.

The store PJ is managing is still having its ups and downs. It has been challenging to know how to encourage him in his work when I have been struggling with a spirit of complaint. When he comes home and tells me about his day, it was hard for me to help him see a helpful solution instead of join him in or encourage his venting. It was, as they say, like "word vomit." I knew it wasn't necessarily helpful or good, but I couldn't stop! It has been much better, though, and I have seen him change in his demeanor when he is home. Having come from a background of retail/customer service, it was easy for me to empathize with his struggles, but it was a challenge for me to get out of my own way and see things from a more godly perspective, and God is still helping me to work through that. It has been, still, a humbling experience.

I am grateful to report, however, that the store has changed its hours, which means that PJ gets to come home a half hour early (aka, actually leave by 5:00pm). Dealing with the commute still has its growing pains, but it is a little more tolerable when I know there is going to be an extra 30 minutes to an hour with him before we have to turn in.

We have been so blessed with our small group leaders, Jason and Christine. God knew exactly where we would be and how we would be sanctified through one another and who we would need to speak into our marriage. It was encouraging (and humbling) to go have dinner with our friends and at the end of the evening, have them speak such bold truth into our lives. After an entertaining evening with their little ones and some dinner, we had an impromptu marriage counseling session which we were completely unaware we needed... Neither of us have had such accountability and encouragement in the Lord before. If you would pray for us as we continue to grow in our marriage, because apparently, the honeymoon is over (in the best possible way), and we are not perfect beginners like we thought we were (apparently communication is an art which is not to be perfected)!

Great news! In case you missed it, we already have a little one on the way! I am due on September 27, just a few days after my birthday and 2 days before our 10 month anniversary. We're expecting to find out the gender of Baby Molina in just a few more weeks and hope to announce it once we've taken photos. I'm so excited to work with Darren again, his work at our wedding was gorgeous and he had it posted and ready so quickly! PJ and I hope to have him as our family photographer and have already made plans for a maternity and postpartum shoot. We are so excited.

Please pray for a heathy pregnancy and that I would start having more energy and motivation. It has been a tough couple of months, but it is getting much better, lately. PJ is such an encouraging husband and I am so grateful to have him :)

<3 Jessy